Under the pile of burlap sacks, there was a small line of text that read: "Can be used to fertilize Farm One or Farm Two to enhance crop yield." Right after that line was a vomiting emoji. The message was clear—it was mocking her. Did you forget you still have Farm One? You can dump the bodies there! The fertilizer's ready. Stop torturing the waste processor and just bury them already. Please! Caroline stared at the dozens of bags filled with corpses, wondering uneasily what might grow from Farm One if she really buried them there. There was no time to think. She diverted two-thirds of the energy contained in the bodies to upgrade the shelter's walls. The remaining third went to recharge the mobile base. For the wall upgrade, Caroline chose to reinforce and raise them again. The walls now stood 13 feet tall, twice as hard as before. That alone consumed one-third of the available energy. Next, she selected the "Enemy Alert" function. With what was left, she could only activate the most basic level—an alert within 33 feet of any hostile presence. 33 feet wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. The range could always be expanded later. She had barely finished the upgrade when a steady vibration rippled under her feet. The alert system had triggered—an enemy was nearby. Within 33 feet. Caroline's head snapped up. She stared at the main gate of the base, every sense on edge. The world outside was silent, but her instincts whispered one thing—the enemy was right at the door. Then came a faint rustling. Someone was trying to open the mobile base's gate. The subtle tremor underfoot soon drew everyone from their rooms.Denton looked alarmed. "Caroline, is that an earthquake?" Caroline pressed a finger to her lips. "Shh." Her eyes never left the door. When everyone had gathered, the alert system automatically shut off. Seeing her gesture, the others stayed silent. The faint scraping at the lock grew clearer. Someone was definitely trying to break in. Caroline exchanged a glance with Tyler. He nodded once. She motioned to Denton, and the two took position on either side of the doorway. Tyler stepped up to the control panel, ready to open it. The mobile base's lock was unique—it couldn't be opened from outside under any circumstance. Only a special key or an internal release button could unlock it. Tyler pressed the small button. A sharp click sounded as the lock disengaged. His skin had already turned to metal, blades forming along his hands, ready to strike. A few seconds passed. Nothing moved outside. Whoever had been picking the lock seemed to have gone. Caroline gave Tyler a slight nod. He pushed the door open. Sunlight poured in, spilling across the courtyard. No one was there. It was as if the sounds they'd heard had been an illusion. But sunlight always casts shadows. None of them dared lower their guard. Following Caroline's silent signal, Nelson retreated back inside. He wasn't trained for combat, and standing at the entrance was too dangerous. Encased head to toe in a metallic shell like living armor, Tyler led the small team cautiously out the door. Still no one. Not even an animal. The emptier it looked, the more unnerving it felt. Caroline frowned and looked toward Jet. Jet lifted off, circling the perimeter alongside Silver.Raven turned to her, eyes communicating clearly—no scent, no sound, nothing unusual. Then, from a dark corner near the wall, a gunshot cracked through the air. No mutant power, no visible attacker—just a sudden, deafening shot. Everyone froze. The bullet's target was Denton, who stood at the far edge. He reacted instantly, activating his ability at the very moment the gun fired. His body hardened into a yellowish crust of soil, releasing a foul stench. Caroline and Tyler quickly stepped back to avoid the wave of odor. Even so, the smell hit them hard. The bullet ricocheted off the hardened shell—right at the center of Denton's forehead. Not an inch off.